ESU Theatre presents its 2009-2010 Theatre Season

Emporia State University Theatre presents its 2009-2010 season of plays.

• Lone Star and Laundry and Bourbon, Two one act plays by James McClure
  September 22 – 26 at 7:30 p.m., September 27 at 2 p.m.
  Ronald Q. Frederickson Theatre in Roosevelt Hall
• The Rocky Horror Show, The 37th Homecoming Scholarship Musical
  October 29 and 31 at 7:30 p.m.
  October 30 at 11:59 p.m. and Sunday, November 1 at 2 p.m.
  Albert Taylor Hall in Plumb Hall
• It’s A Wonderful Life, A radio show based on the Frank Capra film
  December 2 – 5 at 7:30 p.m.
  Karl C. Bruder Theatre
• The Diviners, An award-winning American drama
  February 24 – 27, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.
  Karl C. Bruder Theatre
• Hedda Gabler, A classic of the modern theatre
  April 21 – 24, 28 – 30, May 1 at 7:30 p.m.
  Ronald Q. Frederickson Theatre in Roosevelt Hall

Lone Star and Laundry and Bourbon are two plays by James McClure that give a snapshot of life in Maynard, Texas in 1974. Lone Star refers to the beer that Roy, a returning Viet Nam vet, and his younger brother Ray, drink every night in the back of Angel’s bar. Roy loves three things: his country, his wife Elizabeth, and his pink 1959 Thunderbird – not necessarily in that order. With the arrival of Cletis, the foolish, newlywed son of the local hardware store owner, the underpinnings of Roy's world begin to collapse. Laundry and Bourbon brings us to a front porch, on a hot summer afternoon where Roy’s wife Elizabeth folds laundry, drinks bourbon and coke, gossips, and exchanges insults with two of her friends. There’s plenty to laugh about, and much to contemplate. Due to language and subject matter, this production is not recommended for families with young children.

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show is a rock and roll spoof of horror and science fiction movies of the 1960s. The show has run non-stop in England since its initial production in 1969. It enjoyed a 1971 Broadway production and a brief Broadway revival in 2003. Brad and Janet are soon to be married, and find themselves at an eccentric doctor’s home in the middle of a bad storm. It is the source for the midnight cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Expect outlandish satire and a raucous and memorable rock score. The show is not for the faint of heart. It is rated PG-13 for sexual situations and content. The Friday night performance will begin one minute before midnight.

It’s a Wonderful Life by Philip Grecian will be presented during the Christmas season. The production—originally presented by the Topeka Performing Arts Center—is adapted from Frank Capra’s popular film. George Bailey runs the Bailey Building and Loan in the small town of Bedford Falls. When his Uncle Billy loses a bank deposit, George suffers a life crisis and contemplates suicide. He is saved at the last moment by his guardian angel Clarence who shows George how much his life means by showing him how the world would be without him. Cast members will also perform the live sound effects that accompany the play. It will be a holiday treat for the whole family.

The Diviners is an award-winning American drama by Jim Leonard, Jr. This marvelously theatrical play is the story of a disturbed young man and his friendship with a disenchanted preacher in southern Indiana in the early 1930s. When the boy was young he almost drowned. This trauma and the loss of his mother in the same accident has left him deathly afraid of water. It is recommended for all audiences, but young children might be put off by the play’s “talkiness.”

Hedda Gabler, a classic of the 19th century, is Ibsen’s most-produced play. One of his so-called “problem plays,” Hedda is one of the theatre’s most controversial and compelling characters, often described as the “female Hamlet.” Employing methods that virtually defined the modern psychological drama, Ibsen reveals the bitter conflicts and thwarted longings that lie just below the "civilized" transactions of daily life. The play is intended for mature audiences.

Curtain for all evening performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. For additional information about the Theatre Department or our season, please visit www.emporia.edu/theatre or check out the department's new Facebook group, ESU Theatre. For more information about show times or to reserve tickets, call the University Box Office in the Memorial Union toll-free at 1-877-341-6378.

Last Updated September 11, 2009>